The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) announces a 1-day Professional Development Seminar in conjunction with the Pro Walk/Pro Bike 2008 Conference. Note that advanced registration is required, using the form below. Space is limited to 35 participants. Details (workshop agenda, directions, and lunch options) will be e-mailed to course registrants.

The newly updated course includes both classroom and field work designed to increase your understanding of Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) and FHWA ADA policies. Topics include legal policies, sidewalk design, crossings, intersections, curb ramps, construction, maintenance, pedestrian signals, and temporary traffic control. The DPFA course was developed collaboratively with the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Access Board.

Field Exercises include walking audits, wheelchair exercises to experience slopes, cross-slopes, and ramps, vision degraders to experience decision making issues about street crossing

Classroom Interaction includes discussion of best practices for new design and retrofits

The intended audience is practitioners who design or install transportation facilities in the public right of way. You’ll take home useful resource documents and a better understanding of successful accessible design.

Past DPFA course participants say:

“An excellent course. Great insight into the needs ... of the pedestrian.” - Idaho DOT participant

“Field exercise was an eye opening experience. Excellent use of slides and videos.” - Houston-Galveston Area Council participant

A minimum of 20 registrants is required. APBP reserves the right to cancel the workshop and refund all fees if fewer than 20 people register. Invite your colleagues to make sure this workshop happens! The maximum number is 35; register early.

INSTRUCTOR BIOS

Michael Ronkin
From 1989 to 2006, Michael Ronkin served as Oregon DOT’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Program Manager, where he helped shape ODOT’s proactive pedestrian and bicycle policies. Michael is a nationally acknowledged expert in designing streets to better accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists. As president of Designing Streets for Pedestrians and Bicyclists, he helps citizens achieve their goals of place-making, building livable communities, and reaching consensus on critical design issues. Michael regularly offers training courses to engineers and planners, and addresses various audiences on the need to ensure that our cities and streets are planned and built with people, not just cars, in mind.

Lois Thibault
After a decade's work in the private practice of architecture and six years at The American Institute of Architects, Ms. Thibault joined the US Access Board in 1992 to direct its training activities, taking on the Board's research program in 1998. She also assists in agency rulemaking, currently working on Public Rights-of-Way and Classroom Acoustics; develops advisory material on ADAAG provisions; provides technical assistance to public and private entities; and conducts training. In 1999 she authored 'Accessible Rights-of-Way', a design guide for pedestrian facility accessibility. Lois also serves on the board of The Washington Ear, a radio reading service for persons with visual impairments.

Paying For Your Registration: Please call Debra Goeks at the APBP offices prior to August 15, 2008. Debra's phone number is: 262-228-7025. You can use Visa, MasterCard or AMEX over the phone, or you can download a payment form at http://www.apbp.org/website/ (PDF Format) and use it to fax your payment information to APBP.